Numi vs PCalc (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PCalc grades higher than Numi: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
PCalc grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Numi
Text-based calculator for Mac with unit and currency conversion
PCalc
Scientific calculator for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch
Which one is for you
Pick Numi if
- Fits if you do quick sums with currencies, units or percentages on a Mac
- Works for people who want labels beside the numbers in a running calculation
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need a finished Windows or Linux app, as one is a preview and the other is terminal only
- Tight if you're staying free, because making a new note needs a license and the free limit isn't stated
- Not for you if you'd live in the terminal version, which has no dates, time zones, variables or plugins yet
- Watch out: the buy page shows no price before checkout, where it's $29.99
- Watch out: plugins are JavaScript, but the docs say only a limited part of the API is exposed
Pick PCalc if
- Fits if you want an RPN or programmer calculator on your Apple devices
- Works for people who convert units or switch number bases often
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Windows or Android, as there is no version for either
- Pricey if you want both: Mac and iOS are separate $9.99 purchases
- Tight if you want a free Mac version, since only Lite exists, on iPhone, iPad and Watch
- Watch out: the vendor's pages give different minimum macOS versions, so check the App Store listing
How we grade them
| 2.6GPANumiGood | 3.0GPAPCalcVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$29.99 once at the Paddle checkout, no subscription. Utilities here sit at $2.99 a month in the middle, so that's under a year of a subscription and then it's yours. It's in Setapp too, if you already pay the $14.99 a month for that. | A$9.99 once for Mac and $9.99 once for iPhone, iPad and Watch, each under a year of this category's middle subscription. Prices vary by country. |
| Free plan and trial | CIt's a free download, but the cap arrives fast: the changelog says creating a new note needs activation, and the vendor doesn't say how many notes you get. The licence adds unlimited notes and iCloud sync. | CPCalc Lite is free on iPhone, iPad and Watch with in-app purchases, but the Mac app has no free version. |
| Features | CTyped sums are its one job and it covers them: words or symbols, currencies updated several times a day, units from length to CSS, time zones, dates, variables and running totals. Plugins are JavaScript, though the docs say only a limited part of the API is exposed. | BProgrammer modes, RPN, conversions, a button layout editor, a menu bar widget, Handoff and scripting. The listing names no gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: you write "plus" or "divide by" the way you'd say it and the answer appears beside the line. One odd bit, the buy page shows no price before checkout. | BNo store rating is on record, but you open it and press keys with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | CIn practice this is a Mac app. The Windows build is labelled a preview, the Linux desktop app is still coming soon, and Linux gets only the terminal version, which has no dates, variables or plugins. An Alfred workflow and iCloud sync are the tie-ins. | BMac, iPhone, iPad, Watch and Vision Pro, with Shortcuts and AppleScript. No Windows, Android or web. |
| Best for | sums you type out in plain words on a Mac | a scientific and programmer calculator on Apple devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Numi and PCalc. How we grade
Where they differ
- Numi also covers natural-language input.
- PCalc also covers menu bar app.
At a glance
| Numi | PCalc | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $29.99 one-time purchase (Numi License) | $9.99 one-time |
| Free plan | Free download. A license activates unlimited notes and iCloud sync, and the changelog says creating a new note requires activation; the vendor does not state the free note limit. | PCalc Lite: a free version for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch; the extra features of the full app can be bought inside it, individually or all at once. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Dzmitry Nikalayeu | TLA Systems Ltd. |
| Price read from | checkout.paddle.com | pcalc.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Numi
- The Windows build is labelled a preview and the Linux desktop app is listed as coming soon; on Linux only the terminal version is available.
- The terminal version does not yet support dates, time zone conversion, variables, plugins or the sum, prev and avg tokens.
- Unlimited notes and iCloud sync need the paid license, and the changelog says creating a new note requires activation.
- The buy page shows no price before checkout; $29.99 is the US price from the Paddle checkout that the Buy button opens.
PCalc
- Apple platforms only; there is no Windows, Android or web version.
- The Mac and iPhone/iPad purchases are separate.
- The vendor's pages give different minimum macOS versions (macOS 12 on one page, OS X 10.13 on another), so check the App Store listing.
- The developer notes the App Store has no demos, which is why the Lite version exists.
Key features
Numi
- Calculations written as text
- Type an expression in words or symbols, such as a dollar amount in euros minus a percentage discount, and Numi answers it. Word operators such as plus, times and divide by work alongside signs.
- Currency and unit conversion
- Converts currencies by ISO code, name or sign, with rates updated several times a day, plus cryptocurrencies and units of length, area, volume, weight, temperature, data and CSS.
- Time zones and dates
- Shows the current time for a city or time zone, converts a given time from one zone to another, and handles date arithmetic such as today plus two weeks.
- Variables, sums and averages
- Values can be assigned to variables and reused on later lines. The prev token refers to the previous line's result, and sum and average work on the lines above.
- JavaScript plugins
- Extensions written in JavaScript add global variables, custom units and custom functions. The documentation says only a limited part of the API is exposed so far.
- Terminal version and Alfred workflow
- A command-line version, numi-cli, installs on macOS and Linux, and an Alfred workflow built on it answers expressions typed into the launcher.
PCalc
- Programmer modes
- Hexadecimal, octal and binary modes with bitwise operators.
- RPN mode
- Optional reverse Polish notation with one-button access to the stack.
- Conversions and functions
- A large set of unit conversions, plus editable user conversions, functions and constants that sync across devices.
- Button layout editor
- On the Mac, build your own calculator layout and sync it with iPhone and iPad.
- Menu bar widget
- The Mac version has a menu bar widget for quick calculations.
- Handoff and scripting
- Hands off in-progress calculations between Mac, iOS, visionOS and watchOS; the Mac app supports AppleScript and Shortcuts.
Plans
Numi
Free download$0
Numi without activation. The changelog says creating a new note requires a license.
Numi License$29.99
one-time purchase (US price at the Paddle checkout)
Activates unlimited notes and iCloud sync. Sold through Paddle, which the buy page names as reseller and merchant of record.
Setapp$14.99
per month, through a Setapp membership
The Mac app as part of the Setapp catalog. Setapp's Numi listing prices membership from $14.99 a month, free for 7 days.
PCalc
PCalc Lite$0
Free app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch with in-app purchases for the full app's features.
PCalc for iPhone, iPad and Watch$9.99
one-time, US price; covers iPad, iPhone, Vision Pro and Watch
Full app sold through the App Store; prices vary by country.
PCalc for Mac$9.99
one-time, US price; separate from the iOS purchase
Mac App Store purchase with a menu bar widget, multiple calculators and a button layout editor.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Numi or PCalc?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Numi starts at $29.99 one-time purchase (Numi License), and PCalc starts at $9.99 one-time.
Which has a free plan, Numi or PCalc?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Numi and PCalc have a free plan.
Which platforms do Numi and PCalc run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Numi lists Windows and Linux apps and only PCalc lists an iOS app. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.